USA > Vermont > Addison County > Gazetteer and business directory of Addison County, Vt., for 1881- 82 > Part 27
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The Methodist Church, located at Starksboro village, was organized by the first pastor, Rev. Joseph Mitchell, in 1798. In 1839-'40, the church was built, costing $2,400.00, with seating room for 240 persons. The society now has one hundred members, under the pastoral care of Rev. A. O. Spoor, their property being valued at $4,000.00.
The First Freewill Baptist Church, located at Starksboro, was organized September 20, 1821, by Rev. Charles Bowles and Rev. Sylvanus Robertson, with seventeen members, Mr. Bowles acting as their first pastor. Rev. B. M.
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CITY OF VERGENNES.
Minard became pastor of the society in 1866, there being at that time 113 members, and no church edifice. A house of worship was sadly needed, and in the face of adverse circumstances, Mr. Minard set to work to create a sen- timent in favor of the project, and the result was that at the close of the year 1868, the present beautiful structure, costing nearly $7,000.00, with accommodations for 300 persons, was ready for occupancy, and has ever since been a source of pride to the society, which now numbers 163 members, under the pastorate of Rev. J. W. Burgin, their property being valued at over $8,000.00.
The Congregational Church was organized August 7, 1804, and Rev. Henry Boynton installed as first pastor during the following year, but preached only a few times. The society is now represented in town by but a handful of members.
The Society of Friends was organized by Joseph Chase, and a meeting- house erected in 1812. In 1858, it was sold. In 1871, the present small structure was erected at South Starksboro, costing in the neighborhood of a thousand dollars. The society now has ten or more members, the services being conducted by laymen.
ERGENNES, the oldest incorporated city of the State, and one of the oldest in New England, lies in the northwestern part of the county, in lat. 44° 10', and long. 3º 43'. It was incorporated into a city by the Legislature of Vermont, October 23, 1788, by taking a portion of three towns, Ferrisburgh, New Haven and Panton, with an area lacking eighty acres of being two square miles. On March 12th, of the following year, it was organized as a town, with Samuel Chipman, clerk, Durand Roburds, constable, and Ebenezer Mann, Alexander Brush, and Richard Burling, selectmen. Subsequently, the Legislature passed the following act :-
"It is hereby enacted, that the first meeting of said city, warning the city of Vergennes, shall be holden at the most public place in said city on the first Tuesday of July, which will be in the year of our Lord 1792, for the choice of Mayor, Aldermen, common council and sheriff of said city, and to transact any other business as may be necessary, which may be from time to time adjourned. And a copy of this preamble of this act, certified under the hand of the Secretary of State and published in the most noted place in said city. at least three days before the first Tuesday of July, 1792, shall be a legal warning of the freemen of said city to attend said first meeting for the choice of their officers."
The operation of this act, however, was postponed by a subsequent act, as follows :--
"It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont, that the first meeting of the inhabitants of said city of Vergennes to choose city officers, shall be holden on the first Tuesday of July, which will be in the
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year of our Lord 1794, and that said meeting be warned and governed as is directed in said act."
In 1794, there were 146 enrolled freemen in the city, who, at a legal meet- ing held at the city school-house, on the first Tuesday of July, 1794, pursu- ant to the foregoing warning, Roswell Hopkins being, ex-officio, moderator, the following officers were elected : Joisah Smith, clerk; Enoch Wood- bridge, mayor; Roswell Hopkins, first alderman ; Samuel Strong, second alderman ; Fineas Brown, third alderman ; Gideon Spencer, fourth alder- man ; Azariah Painter, sheriff, and Samuel Chipman, treasurer. The com- mon council was: Samuel Chipman, Eli Roberts, Elkanah Brush, Ebenezer Huntington, Oliver Pier and Jacob Redington. Mr. Woodbridge had been chosen mayor in 1792, though his office could not be ratified till 1794, according to the acts of the Legislature as stated above. Subsequent to '94, the list of mayors is as follows :-
E. Woodbridge 1 year
E. D. Woodbridge 4 years
R. Hopkins 3
¥ E. Sherill I
Thomas Boyd 5
V. Lawrence
4
Amos Marsh 3
66
J. Thompson 2
Josiah Smith 4
66
J. Pierpoint 6
Samuel Strong 3
66
F. E. Woodbridge. 4
66
Smith Booth. 4
David Edmond
5
A. W. Barnum 4
J. H. Sherrill.
4
George W. Grandey 12
E. Seymour 4
J. D. Ward. 2
66
J. E. Roberts 4
J. D. Smith . 4
Wm. S. Hopkins 4
J. H. Lucia. I
An error relative the date of the charter has been quite prevalent, an error into which even our usually careful and accurate Thompson fell, in fixing the date in the year 1783, instead of 1788, thus making Vergennes the oldest incorporated city in New England, when in reality, Hartford and New Haven are the oldest, their charters bearing date in 1784. Even Salem, with the traditionary horrors that cluster about its "Gallows Hill," the oldest settle- ment, except Plymouth, in New England, did not receive its city privileges till 1836 ; and Providence, settled by the venerated Roger Williams as far back in the misty past as 1630, did not receive its city charter till 1832, when Vergennes was a respectable youth forty-four years of age. Still, age does not seem to incline the fair city to corpulency, as its population from 146 free- men, has only increased to about 1,800 persons, having been outstripped by several of its more fortunate village neighbors ; yet its location and surround- ings would seem to enforce a rapid growth, as the whole surrounding country is a rich, fertile territory. The Central Vermont Railroad passing through the corporation gives unexcelled facilities for transportation of imports and ex- ports, while Otter Creek affords unbounded mill-privileges at the falls, only seven miles from the mouth of the creek, and forming the head of navigation on that stream. The falls have a descent of thirty-seven feet, divided into three distinct sets by two islands at their head, which divides the channel into
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CITY OF VERGENNES.
three parts. The town is handsomely laid out, the buildings good, many of them elegant structures. It has five churches, three hotels, several manufac- tories, two banks, a saw-mill, grist-mill, plaster-mill, etc., and several good business blocks. It has also an excellent water supply, the works having cost the city $60,000.00. Work was begun upon them in 1868, and late in the same year they were in operation. They have four miles of mains, of which the principal is a ten-inch pipe, into which the water is pumped directly from the creek, using no reservoir ; the capacity being about 1,600,000 gallons per day, with sufficient force for fire purposes in any part of the corporation. The present stone pump-house, located on the island at the head of the falls, was built in 1874, with every convenience for the purposes for which it is designed, and the following year, 1875, a new Flanders pump took the place of the old Holley pump, giving much better satisfaction and increasing the capacity.
The inference from the records is a fair one that the last decade of the eighteenth century was a period of great activity in commerce, manufactures and speculations, in Vergennes, as the following were at that time found here : Baldwin & Co., Nathaniel Stevenson, Richard Burling, Thomas Toucy, and others, owners of mills, forges, distilleries, etc. The present manufacturing interests we give below.
MANUFACTORIES.
The National Horse Nail Co.'s manufactory, located on the west bank of the creek below the falls, was established by a stock company in 1869, who now have a cash capital of $100,000.00, the list of officers being as follows : Prest., Lawrence Barnes, of Burlington ; Sec'y and Treas., H. Lewis; Supt., J. G. Hindes. The firm now employs twenty-five hands, manufacturing 150 tons of horse nails per annum.
The Vermont Shade Roller Manufacturing Co., located on Main street at the west end of the bridge, was established by George D. Wright, F. H. Foss, and W. & D. G. Crane, in 1877, for the manufacture of shade rollers, slats, etc. The firm now employs thirty men and manufactures three car-loads of goods per week.
Smith & Ketcham's furniture manufactory, located on Main street, at the head of the falls, was established in January, 1878. They now employ twenty-five men and use about 250,000 feet of lumber in the manufacture of furniture, principally ash and black walnut.
E. H. Daniels' sash, door, and blind manufactory, located on the west side below the falls, employs fifteen men, doing a business of $20,000.00 per year.
F. M. Strong, manufacturer of hubs, spokes, and bent work, located at the same place as the above firm, employs twelve men and manufactures $20,000.00 worth of goods per annum. Mr. Strong is also engaged in the manufacture of a machine for road making, called The Little Giant Road Machine. He and Thomas Ross invented the famous Howe Scales.
G. W. Kendall, also located on the west side below the falls. is engaged in
-
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CITY OF VERGENNES.
the manufacture of sash, doors and blinds, employing five men, using 100,000 feet of lumber per year.
Bartley, Fisher & Co., located near the above firm, manufacture chamber furniture and extension tables, employing ten men, doing a business of $ 12,000 per annum.
The Island Grist-Mill, owned and operated by N. G. Norton, is located on an island between the falls. The present fine brick building was erected in 1877-'78, on the site of the old Bradbury mill, which was destroyed by fire June 16, 1877. Mr. Norton now employs five men, operates three runs of stones, grinding over 100,000 bushels of grain per year, mostly custom work. He also deals in lumber and shingles, handling 400,000 feet of the former, and 500,000 shingles per year.
C. D. Keeler's tannery, located at the east end of the bridge, was estab- lished in a small way in 1831, since which time the business has increased till he now employs eight hands, manufacturing 8,000 sides of card leather and 4,000 calf skins per year. The works are operated by steam-power.
BANKS.
The Bank of Vergennes was established in 1827, with a capital of $100,000.00, and Samuel Strong, president, and William White, cashier. They then did business in the building on the corner of Main and Green streets, now occupied by N. J. McCuen as a grocery store. In 1843, they removed to their present location on Main street, and in 1865, were re- chartered as the National Bank of Vergennes, with a capital of $150,000.00, which has since been increased to $200,000.00. The present list of officers are Carleton T. Stevens, president ; David Smith, vice-president ; Andrew Ross, cashier ; and Charles H. Strong, assistant cashier.
The Farmers' National Bank was established in June, 1880, with a capital of $50,000.00. Walter Scranton, president ; Martin F. Allen, vice-president, and D. H. Lewis, cashier.
EDUCATIONAL.
The city is divided into two school districts, denominated as East and West, the creek forming the dividing line between them. The east district has a fine graded school, located on Green street, a large three-story framed building with a basement, built by B. F. Young in 1863, at a cost, including grounds, of $13,000.00. The school is divided into five departments, four departments occupying the regular school building, and the fifth occupying a hired room or building across the street. It is now under the able charge of Mr. Aaron B. Clark as principal, with five competent assistant teachers, having an attendance of about 260 pupils. The west district has one com- mon school, a one-story brick building, built in 1830, employing one teacher, and having sixty or more pupils.
During the year ending October 31, 1880, there were 382 pupils attending school in the city, employing one male and five female teachers, at an aggre- gate salary of $2,886.30, while the entire expense of the schools for the year was $3.789.59, with F. E. Woodbridge, superintendent.
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CITY OF VERGENNES.
THE VERMONT REFORM SCHOOL.
The Vermont Reform School, a State institution, established upon sound christian and philanthropic principles, in 1865, is located in this town. Here girls and boys, who, from natural tendencies, or from the force of circum- stances attending their early lives, have been led into crime, are provided with a home, educated, and their reformation attempted. The farm and arsenal property were purchased for the use of the school, at a cost of $18,- 772.00, containing 132 acres of land ; the old buildings, with some altera- tions and improvements, being admirably adapted for the purpose-the old officer's quarters serving for the girls department, and the arsenal building as a school and workshop for the boys. The place has been greatly improved, however, since the school was started here, by the erection of new buildings and embellishment of the grounds, the latter being eminently favored by nature as well. Here about 150 of these unfortunate creatures are gathered, and by a judicious course of awards, punishments, kindness, and severity, are reclaimed from an ultimate prison-home-or worse-and made worthy and respectable citizens. All inmates upon entering the school are placed in the same grade, from which they may advance or recede according to the merit marks they daily receive. A direct appeal is made to their better nature, by causing them to feel from the first that although their past history may have been a sad one, yet a full confidence is felt in their good intentions for the future, and that faith in them will be main- tained so long as they evince a desire to improve, even if they may sometimes trip or fall. They are taught that the length of time they must remain here, and the privileges they may enjoy, depend mainly upon the advancement they make in the grades of the school; and these grades are so arranged as always to indicate a boy's or girl's character and standing. Habits of thrift and industry are taught them by imposed tasks each day, working from four to six hours, and the remainder devoted to study and recitation, the recreation allowed depending mainly upon their behavior. As fast as the management become convinced of the reformation of an inmate, they are furnished with homes where they are allowed to remain as long as they persist in well doing. Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Fairbank, with an efficient corps of assistants, have charge of the institution, managing it with entire success. Mr. Fairbank, who formerly held a like position in the Massachusetts Reform School, has had charge of this school for the past twelve years and has been connected with institutions of this kind all his life, being, therefore, well fitted for the position, and to his efforts the school in a large measure owes its success.
HOTELS.
The Stevens House, located on the corner of Main and Green streets, is a large, well-appointed, first-class hotel, with a free 'bus to and from all passen- ger trains. The building is one of the old landmarks of the city, having been built previous to ISoo, though the extensive repairs it has undergone leave little resemblance to the original structure. The brick portion was built in
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CITY OF VERGENNES.
1848. The present proprietor, Mr. S. S. Gaines, looks wella fter the com- fort of his guests, with whom he is quite popular.
The Franklin House, a large three-story brick building located on Main street, was built by Hiram Adams, in 1848. Mr. J. W. Jackson has lately taken possession of the property, intending to make it, in all respects, a de- sirable hotel to stop at, and having every facility for so doing, we doubt not that he will succeed. He runs a free 'bus to all passenger trains.
The American House, located on the corner of Main street and Monkton road, is a neat three-story wood structure, modern in all its appointments, erected by the present proprietor, Mr. Edgar C. Everest, in 1870. Mr. Everest is an experienced hotel-keeper, which, coupled with a desire to please, brings a profitable trade to the house as well as pleasure to his guests.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
The Champlain Valley Agricultural Society of Vergennes was permanently organized January 21, 1881, though, under a temporary organization, it had held annual fairs on two previous years. The object of the institution is the improvement of agricultural productions, domestic animals, domestic manu- factures, and mechanic arts as applied to the interests of agriculture. The society has no permanent grounds, but leases from year to year a convenient location near the city. The fair held in October 1881, was par- ticularly noticeable for its large display in all classes, and evinced a decidedly increased interest on the part of the people. The officers of the society are as follows : C. W. Read, of Addison, president; C. W. Mason and H. T. Booth, vice-presidents ; H. T. Booth, secretary; N. J. McCuen, treasurer ; and J. O. Meeker, Byron Smith, G. F. O. Kimball, H. S. Jackson, and S. Tappen, directors.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The early settlers in the towns surrounding the territory now included within the limits of Vergennes, as they increased in numbers, naturally began to look about for the most favorable sites for erecting mills, and the excel- lent privileges at this point early attracted their attention, and arrangements were entered into with Isaac Peck, John Griswold and Daniel Barnes, Jr., to build a saw-mill here, in April, 1764. Work was begun that fall, but the mill was not completed until the fall of 1765 .*
Col. John Reid, of New York, held a patent for seven thousand acres of land situated on both sides of Otter Creek, covering the territory now in- cluded within this city, his patent bearing date June 7, 1771, ten years after the grants by New Hampshire. It had also been issued by Gov. Dunmore, in violation of the King's prohibitory order of July, 1767, being, consequently, illegal and void. The year after the mill was finished, 1766, he procured an order from Gov. Moore, of New York, to survey the territory, five years be- fore he had any possible show of right to it. He came on, took forcible
* Credit has been given, quite extensively, to Pangborn for having built this mill ; but we have sufficient evidence that the above is correct. It is more than probable, however, that Pangborn and his sons were engaged in its construction.
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CITY OF VERGENNES.
possession of the mill, together with one hundred and thirty saw logs and fourteen thousand feet of pine boards that had been made in the mill. In 1769, the proprietors decided that Peck, Griswold and Barnes had forfeited all right to the property, both in not having it finished during the time specified in the contract, and in allowing it to be wrested from them by Reid, and therefore voted to resume their right to it and "assert their rights against Col. Reid." Accordingly, between June 15 and July 15, 1772, with Allen at their head, they dispossessed Reid and what tenants he had brought on, destroyed their houses and a grist-mill they had erected. In the month of June, 1773, Col. Reid engaged several Scotch emigrants, then recently arrived at New York, to occupy, as his tenants, the lands of which he had been dispossessed the previous year, and went with them to the falls. On entering on the lands, they found several persons settled on them. These the Colonel compelled by threats to leave, making, how- ever, as he claimed, compensation for the growing crops of one of the principal occupants. He caused the grist-mill to be repaired and several log huts to be erected, and then returned to New York. It appears from the affidavit of one of the tenants, that they were in- formed on their way thither, that the title to the land was in dispute and desired to return to New York ; but the Colonel assured them there was no question about the title, and that he would put them in posses. sion and protect them. . This second invasion of the territory by Reid called out the Green Mountain Boys in considerable force. On the 11th of August, Allen, Warner and Baker appeared on the ground with over one hundred armed men, informed the Scotchmen that they had been im- posed upon by Col. Reid, and that the land did not belong to him, warning them to depart. A short time was given to remove their effects, when the huts were set on fire and burned to the ground; but the grist-mill could not be thus dealt with without endangering the saw-mill, so it was pulled down and the mill-stones, after being broken, were thrown over the falls into the creek, and the miller was warned not to again repair the mill. This effect- ually put a stop to encroachments on the part of Reid, though a small fort was erected just above the falls, and supplied with a garrison of a few men under Ebenezer Allen. No more trouble was experienced from the "Yorkers" from this time forward, more settlers came in, and prosperity prevailed until the general hegira during the Revolution, when the settlement was broken up, the houses burned, and records destroyed by the notorious Jacob Sherwood.
The first settler was Donald McIntosh, a Scotchman, in 1766. Donald came to this country with Gen. Wolfe's army during the French war, and did good service, a counterpart of his conduct at the famous battle of Culloden, where his brave fellow Highlanders crimsoned the turf of Drummossie moor, in 1746. He was a tall, powerful man, one that a person would not care to meet in belligerant attitude, as the following anecdote will certify : Some of Reid's emissaries called at Donald's one morning, and said, -"Mr. McIntosh,
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we have a title to this land you are now occupying, and must request you to vacate it at once."
"I have good enough title for me," was the laconic reply.
"But we have a better, and -," but the rest was never spoken, for the irate Scotchman interrupted with-" By the pipers of war, we will see about that !" and snatching a dirk from its accustomed place over the door, he chased the frightened land pirates through the forest for a distance of two miles or more, and was not molested by any of them again. Mr. McIntosh remained here until his death, in 1803, aged eighty-four years, and now rests in his grave on the Seymour farm. The old McIntosh house is still standing, the oldest building in the city, and one whose walls have often echoed the voices of Baker, Allen and Warner, and perhaps others equally renowned. The first birth in the city was a daughter of his, in 1770.
In 1769, John Griswold and his five sons made a perinanent settlement here, together with twelve other families from Salisbury, Conn., joining the few that had already preceded them, among whom was John Pangborn and family. All, however, left during the Revolution, as stated above.
In 1798, after the death of Gov. Chittenden, the Legislature held its session at Vergennes, giving quite an impetus to business and lifting the little city considerably up in the world for the time being. A State-house was built on the brow of the hill where the flag-staff now stands, just north of the St. Paul Episcopal church, a fair sized, two-story frame building. But the govern- ment of the State convened at Windsor the next year, and the building was afterwards used for public meetings, religious and civil, until 1838, when it was torn down. During the time of this session of the Legislature the country was much agitated on account of the insolent and lawless proceed- ings of the French,-their refusal to receive the American embassadors and their demand of tribute under the name of a loan ; and Gov. Tichenor, in his inaugural speech, expressed the strongest disapprobation of their policy and proceedings. An address to the President of the United States was prepared, by a committee appointed for that purpose, and passed in the house by a vote of 129 to 23, in which the management of the French was treated with extreme severity, stating, if necessity required, their readiness to engage in war with that nation. To this address Mr. Adams afterwards re- turned a very polite and respectful answer, in which he complimented the people of Vermont for their patriotism and virtue, and expressed a high satisfaction derived from the assurance of their approbation of himself. A large company of Indians came here during this session of the Legislature to establish their claim to an extensive tract of land lying in Vermont ; but $100.00, with plenty of fire water, quieted their claim.
Vergennes early became an important military station and headquarters' for ship building, and it was here that McDonough's fleet was built and fitted out. During the period of non-intercourse with Great Britain, manufacturing enter- prises sprung up with great rapidity about the falls, among which were a blast
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